Mississippi Meteorologist Arrested For Sexual Battery Of A Child

A popular Mississippi weatherman was arrested recently on sexual battery charges due to a series of incriminating Facebook messages exchanged with his 15-year-old victim. The suspect, WLBT-TV weatherman Eric Law, had worked for the Jackson, Mississippi, station since 2004.

Police say that the girl came forward after having sexual contact with Law. She sent the Facebook messages to police and reported that she had spent the night at Law’s home on several occasions. The girl said that she would go to the “Law and Order room” to engage in sexual behavior with the weatherman. The room was called that because Law is a fervent fan of the crime show, an odd twist giving that his own case is playing out much like an episode of his favorite drama.

The meteorologist was charged with two counts of sexual battery and two more counts of gratification of lust and is now out of jail on a $200,000 bond. Lust’s private desires do not appear to match up with his public persona, that of a good Christian husband. His Facebook and Google+ profiles both discuss his love of Jesus Christ and how happy he was to be saved. He also discusses his marriage to his wife, whom he met on a Christian Internet chat room. The two have been together since 1999 but do not have any children of their own.

Under Mississippi law, the meteorologist is facing some serious trouble. His first charge, sexual battery, is found in Mississippi Code Section 97-3-95. The statute says that a person is guilty of sexual battery if he or she engaged in sexual penetration with “a child of 14 but less than 18 years if the person is in a position of trust or authority over the child.” Gratification of lust is found in Mississippi Code Section 97-5-23 and defines the crime as:

“Any person above the age of 18 years, who, for the purpose of gratifying his or her lust, or indulging his or her depraved licentious sexual desires, shall handle, touch or rub with hands or any part of his or her body or any member thereof, any child younger than himself or herself and under the age of 18 years who is not such person’s spouse, with or without the child’s consent…”

Each count of sexual battery carries a potential jail term of up to 30 years and a $10,000 fine. Law faces up to 15 years in prison and $5,000 in fines for each of his gratification of lust charges.